Beaches, poke, bike routes, snorkel spots, sunset missions, and a few “ask Tom for details” local favorites. Yes, there are more than ten. Math lost to aloha.
Big sandy beaches on massive bays. Hāpuna is a state park; Mauna Kea has limited public parking. A coastal trail connects them.
Fresh fish caught and prepared in-house. This is the “skip the tourist poke bowl” stop.
Jump off the harbor piers and swim off the west side of the break. If you have an eFoil, this could be world-class riding.
Hike Pololū Valley, then make the mandatory stop at Fresh Off the Grid — aka Poke Nachos — before heading to Mahukona for snorkel, swim, or chair-in-the-parking-lot ocean staring.
Paddle, swim, find the secret eel spot, then hike north toward the Hilton to see dolphins. Lava Lava is great for lunch or sunset dinner.
A legit world-class experience: nighttime snorkel or dive with manta rays. Jack’s Diving Locker is a solid Kona option, and in recent years operators have also started running manta dives nearer Mauna Kea Beach.
Climb from the coast toward Waikoloa Village and keep going as far and high as your legs allow. Big views of four mountains and Maui.
The Kona harbor is some of the clearest water around: bait balls, reef fish, and the classic Ironman swim line.
Two Step is a fish tank. Picnic behind the parking lot at the national park, then tag on Hoʻokena for black sand beach time.
Drive up, hike over, and watch the sun drop from way up high.
Rent a boat or charter for fishing, snorkeling, whale watching, and dolphin watching. The likely bareboat/self-drive operator is Kona Boat Rentals out of Honokōhau Harbor.
Classic Big Island snorkel/kayak mission with clear water and a big payoff.
Watch USGS and YouTube channels for eruption episodes. When it looks like it’s going blast-o, go — even middle of da night.
Real-fruit shave ice creations with fun toppings and mac nut ice cream in the middle.
Fish and chips, grilled ono, and proper local plate energy.
A sit-down Hilo restaurant with farm-to-table foodie vibes — a good east-side meal when you want something more polished than a quick plate lunch.
Lunch, dinner, sunset, drinks, dessert, beach hangout — all in one place.
Snorkel at Dog Beach — but yes, beware the huge shark. Tom takes a poking stick or spear gun, for reals.
Black sand beach with a more local feel and a good add-on to South Kona days.
Pizza and burgers in Waikoloa — easy crowd-pleasers after beach or bike time.
Find Tropical Dreams mac nut ice cream. Good grindz.
Food, gas, musubi — the practical local stop that earns its spot.
Low-effort Waikoloa shopping stop: buy T-shirts, Crocs, beach stuff, souvenirs — whatever floats your canoe.
Polished island dinner/lunch spot at the Mauna Lani shops. Good food, easy atmosphere, and reliable for visitors who want nice without going full resort formal.
We call it Nēnē Beach. A classic Kona beach/surf hang with lava-rock shoreline, sand pockets, and a more local feel than the resort beaches.
An amazing spot to park a chair in some shade, wander the trails toward Puakō, or just settle in and watch the sunset.
Great dive/snorkel shop for north island adventures. Good stop when you’re aiming at Kawaihae, Mahukona, Kohala coast dives, or need gear/advice before getting wet.
Gill’s is relaxing vibes: a mellow North Kohala food stop when you want to slow down, sit outside, and let the day breathe a little.
Hot chicken in Kona with the proper slogan: giving you the bird. Casual, spicy, satisfying, and a good mainland-craving fix after too much responsible beach behavior.
Huge resort stop with a super pool setup, an amazing lagoon, and Hawaii Dolphin Quest. It’s worth wandering through even if you’re not staying there.
Two nerdy-but-cool Kona marine-life stops: Kanaloa Octopus Farm for interactive octopus time and Ocean Rider Seahorse Farm for the seahorse tour. Very Big Island: weird, educational, memorable.
Waimea sit-down comfort-food stop with BBQ, seafood, burgers, and big “yes, everyone can find something” energy.
Two west-side beach classics: Beach 69 / Waialea for shade, sand, snorkel, and casual hanging; 49 Black Sand for a more tucked-away black-sand Waikoloa beach stop.
A surreal drive-and-stop lookout over Waipiʻo Valley: big cliffs, deep green valley, ocean beyond, and those unmistakable old-Hawaiʻi vibes.
Waikoloa ramen stop with big bowls and combo plates — easy to share when the group wants something warm, fast, and not another burger.
Soft sand, clear water, and usually plenty of people — Kua Bay is popular for a reason. Use the stairs for the left side of the beach, or carefully scramble down the lava for the right side.
Big Island has amazing mountain views: Mauna Lani, Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, and Hualālai. Take time to notice them, understand which ones are which, and enjoy trying to figure out how they are everywhere.
Make sure to look at Maui all the time. You can see it from so many places. Best views of Maui are from the Big Island.
Good snorkel on calm days, or just look at ocean. Park on the concrete, break out the beach chairs, and enjoy parking-lot beach vibes.
Kona gets that ridiculous clear-water look from deep ocean close to shore plus fresh water filtering under the island through lava rock before it reaches the coast. Less runoff, more blue-water magic.